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Name That Coach

After years of discovering Covey’s ‘Seven Habits’, McKinsey’s ‘Seven S’s’ and Porter’s ‘Five Forces’, along with mnemonics such as CAMPARI and ICE, AIDA, and CLEO, and numerous ‘styles’, we are proud to present Craven’s Seven Coaching Styles. Like Belbin’s Eight Team Roles, each coach possesses elements of each style although one or two styles seem to predominate.

The Counsellor

The Counsellor has spent too many years on the psychotherapist’s couch to believe that we don’t have some deeper meaning than that presented in a simple question. For instance, in reply to your question, “I don’t understand what you mean?” they might reply “How does that make you feel?”. This coach spends much time deep in thought, hand propping up their chin and nodding empathically (or is it empathetically, I never know). Look out for passing references to NLP, TA, T-groups, sexism, racism, equal opportunities, triggers, stroking, mentoring and any references to vegetarianism in a former life!

The Slapper

 “I’m going to slap them round and show them just what they need to know!”  These are the words you might overhear when coaches are comparing notes in the toilet.  The Slapper tends be pretty “macho” in approach.  They believe that clients need to be woken up to reality and it is their job to do this.  They believe that you have to be cruel to be kind; let them know who is boss.  Once the client has been beaten into submission then the Slapper can impose his or her views.  Beware of Slappers, they are very prickly! Don’t make small talk, be personal or attack them unless you want it used as evidence against you.

The Academic Expert

These creatures are simply unbearable unless you are one of their number! You cannot argue with the expert who has a statistic or a reference to dispute anything you ever say.  These experts are pre-occupied with the numbers, statistics, models and theorems, and find the academic/intellectual part of the argument (or do I mean monologue?) their raison d’être.  They seem to lack a little balance in their lives but can’t believe that no-one else is interested in what they say.

Bruce Forsyth

“Nice to see you, to see you nice!  Our first game needs a hundred sheets of paper and I want you to build an eight foot high tower in six minutes.....And then I want you to imagine you’re on a desert island...” These people joined the wrong profession; frustrated “academic luvvies” play games to entertain themselves.  A nice way to pass the day if you are, as they say, “Up for it”, but I am not always sure of the value. Beware of the difference between cheap tricksters (sub-species, It’s a Knockout) and genuinely inspiring styles (sub-species, Games People Play) - don’t confuse the sizzle with the steak.

The Ageing Hippy

Tell-tale signs that you are with an Ageing Hippy are the following: any references to the Isle of Wight, Glastonbury, the Thatcher regime, and Bob Dylan.  The Ageing Hippy will delight in reminiscing in how it used to be and how it could be but they are not really rooted in the 21st century. The other give-away clue to these social anthropologists is any kind of reference to writing epitaphs, attending your own funeral, or only having six months to live. A bit head in the clouds for me, but they do make you stop and think about how you live your life.

The Quoter

The Quoter’s skill is to have a quote for every occasion; it gets tedious eventually.  Being a Quoter gives a clue to the background (and sub-species) of the coach - try not to confuse the symptom with the cause.  Either, they went to Cambridge to read English and Philosophy and know all of the Monty Python team and most MPs, (the don) and/or, they have little real life experience and so learn pretty little witticisms to (apparently) demonstrate their wisdom (the shallow con). It’s a bit like the joke about the economist who knows 365 ways to make love to a woman but does not actually have a girl-friend themselves. Destroy a Quoter’s ability to relate to you by quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Don’t quote other people’s opinions, tell me what you know.”

The “Been there, Done it”

This one can be a raging bore - they’ve done it all and they can prove it.  There’s nothing you can tell them.  However, if they are of the sub-species, Hugely Successful and Interesting Been There, Done Its, then they can be fascinating as they tell you numerous stories of living with aboriginal Indians, losing a million and sacking an entire workforce.  The alternative is that they can be incredibly dull in which case they are of the sub-species, Tips and Wrinkles Windbags.  Normally they were in Burma in 1942 or running the Hong Kong operations for ICI or Ford in 1952 and don’t they let you know about it!  Well-meaning souls if a bit high on the old ego-count.

The Loveable Clown

The Loveable Clown hides its intellect by appearing slightly foppish.  This silliness may well irritate the impatient but behind the clowning about is a wonderfulcoach waiting to be unleashed.  Typical Loveable Clown behaviour includes dropping or losing slides, arriving late and the classic Loveable Clown trick of writing on the whiteboard with a permanent marker.  Have patience with the clown (they come in two styles, extrovert and introvert) because they are often the true stars.  Do not under-estimate them.

While this list is not exhaustive it covers the characteristics of the key coaching styles.

 

 

about the author

Robert Craven is a keynote speaker and author of the best-selling business books ‘Kick-Start Your Business’ and ‘Customer Is King’. As MD of The Directors’ Centre www.directorscentre.com, the consultancy for growing businesses, he works with ambitious owner-managers to break through constraints on business growth. He can be contacted at rc@directorscentre.com +44 (0)1225 851044.

Robert Craven©2006, Association For Coaching

publication details

Draft for Association For Coaching Magazine, Summer 2006.